The
Gallery at
The Official Toyah WillcoxWebsite
has been updated: There's now Classic
Toyah, The Humans, plus Toyah Live (In
The 21st Century) including great photos
from the first three 'From Sheep Farming
To Anthem' gigs, as well as other Toyah
concerts
Toyah Live
2011: Harrogate Fringe: Hits
& Surprises
29 April, 2011
As previously mentioned,
Toyah headlines the Harrogate Fringe 2011
on 22nd July. Kula productions are using
some great Toyah images to promote her
appearance. Visit their website.
The Strand
Gallery: Gay Photographers
Network
29 April, 2011
Toyah
will be opening the Gay Photographers
Network, "More Guys Hanging" at
The Strand Gallery, London, on Monday
20th June 2011. Toyah's Official
Facebook/website will bring you further
details on this nearer the time. The
exhibition will feature the work of
Toyah's official photographer Dean
Stockings.
Birmingham
Mail: Brummie Queen Of Pop Toyah
Willcox
29 April, 2011
Brummie
queen of pop Toyah Willcox talks about
her struggle with dyslexia
Brummie queen of pop Toyah Willcox has
told of her painful struggle with
classroom prejudice as she overcame a
learning disability to enjoy a glittering
career in the music industry.
Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, the
Kings Heath-born singer revealed how her
own personal experiences with dyslexia
had spurred her into action helping
others.
Toyah, who has also enjoyed success in
films and on television, will be among a
host of 1980s stars playing the Our
Friends Acoustic gig next month in aid of
learning disability charity Mencap.
“I feel great sympathy towards
people who suffer learning disabilities
and so feel quite passionate about the
whole thing,” said the 52-year-old,
who went to Edgbaston CofE College before
training as an actress at the Old Rep
Drama School.
• Read the full interview at the
'Birmingham Mail' website, here.
Neon 80s:
Kindle Edition
29 April, 2011
'Neon 80s -
Memories Of A Luminous Decade', the book
by Huw Collingbourne, is now available
from Amazon in a kindle edition.
It was the era of the New Romantics,
Blitz Kids and Gender Benders. From the
UK club scene came the likes of Boy
George and Steve Strange. Fashion went
wild with pirate shirts, kilts, glitter
and makeup. Huw Collingbourne was there -
a writer for ’80s music magazines
such as Number One, Kicks and Flexipop!,
he interviewed all the stars of the day.
Neon 80s Includes original interviews
with: Steve Strange, Marilyn, Divine,
Pete Burns, Boy George, Spandau Ballet,
Depeche Mode, Limahl, Midge Ure, David
Sylvian of Japan, Adam Ant, Toyah, Modern
Romance, Matt Bianco, Heaven 17, Duran
Duran, ABC, The Thompson Twins, Kim
Wilde. Plus new articles about the
styles, fashions, musical trends and
memorable events of the 1980s...
Dreamscape
News Archive: March 2011 (Part
Two)
29 April, 2011
Dreamscape News for the
second part of March has now been
archived. March was such a busy month for
Toyah news I had to divide it into two
pages. Visit our News Archive by clicking
below.
Official
Toyah: Toyah Performs Live In
Salisbury
29 April, 2011
TOYAH
PERFORMS LIVE IN SALISBURY THIS BANK
HOLIDAY WEEKEND
Toyah will open and sing live at the
Mayor of Salisbury's Charity Family Fun
Day in Harnham, Salisbury at 12pm on
Saturday 30 April 2011. The event is free
entry from 12.00-17.30 and takes place at
Harnham Club Marquee & Field,
Parsonage Green, West Harnham, Salisbury,
Wilts. Wiltshire SP2 8LA.
Toyah on TV
29 April, 2011
TOTP2 : Dave -
Tuesday 3rd May : 7.35am
TOTP2 : Dave ja vu - Tuesday 3rd May :
8.35am
Steve Wright presents a selection of
archive performances, including hits by
Tina Charles, kd lang, Al Jarreau and
Toyah and Art of Noise, featuring Duane
Eddy. Plus, footage from David Bowie's
1973 `farewell' concert and new music by
soul legend Solomon Burke.
Toyah Newsy
Bits & Pieces!
29 April, 2011
•
The 'Our Friends Acoustic' show, which
Toyah was playing at, has been cancelled:
Unfortunately due to logistical issues,
Our Friends Acoustic on Thursday May 12th
at The Clapham Grand has been cancelled.
Refunds are available at point of
purchase. Sorry folks, we'll be back with
another 80s extravaganza later in the
year! View further info at 'Little Noise
Sessions', here.
• Toyah played a great PA at the
Faerie Ball in Canterbury last week (with
lots of positive messages on Facebook
about the appearance). View a new clip of
Toyah
introducing the PA at 'You Tube'. Thanks
again to Brian Marsh for the excellent
photos.
• Leona Graham
is the new host of Absolute Radio's
Friday Evening Show (7 till 11pm). In
promotion for this One Golden
Square
say: So, Carol Decker, Toyah Willcox
and Elizabeth II beware –
there’s a new queen of the 80s and
she’s on-air Friday nights from 7pm.
• Toyah received a
namecheck in 'Stylist' magazine earlier
this week. (Thanks to Minna)
BBC Radio 4:
PM: Toyah Pays Tribute To Poly
Styrene
27 April, 2011
Toyah
paid tribute to Punk legend Poly Styrene
on BBC Radio 4's PM yesterday afternoon.
Poly Styrene, whose real name was
Marianne Joan Elliott-Said, died on
Monday night. Her official Twitter broke
the sad news:
"We can confirm that the beautiful
Poly Styrene, who has been a true
fighter, won her battle on Monday evening
to go to higher places. We are sad to
report that Marianne Elliot (aka Poly
Styrene) lost her battle with cancer last
night, 25th April 2011.
"Poly Styrene was a punk amongst
punks. A groundbreaking presence that
left an unrepeatable mark on the musical
landscape, she made history the moment
she uttered,'Some people think little
girls should be seen and not heard but I
think oh bondage up yours!'
"Poly Styrene never stopped exciting
us with her incisive world-view, amazing
wit, and her adventurous sound. It is
impossible to imagine what modern music
would be like without her incalculable
contributions but it's probably not worth
imagining a world that never had Poly
Styrene in it."
• Yesterday's PM is available to
listen to on BBC iPlayer
for the next six days. Toyah's tribute to
Poly Styrene begins approximately 48
minutes in.
Kentish
Gazette: Toyah Entertains Crowds
At Fairy Festival
27 April, 2011
Steam-punk
pixies, flower fairies, Morris Men and
Pagan drummers turned the heads of
visitors to Canterbury on Easter Sunday.
Many
couldn’t believe their eyes as the
pointy eared, wing wearing parade wound
its way through the city centre streets.
Dragons, giants and even Vikings joined
the colourful procession which was
officially marking the start of the 2011
Fairy Festival.
After entertaining the crowds with a
display of music and dance in the
Longmarket, the bright bunch made their
way back to the Westgate Hall, where a
three day fairy market was being held.
An assortment of fairy fare was on offer
for shoppers to peruse including tutus,
magic wands, original artwork, jewellery,
crystals and food. There was also Tarot
reading, aromatherapy, talks and
workshops on Maypole Dancing, painting,
meditation and healing.
On the Friday night there was a special
Fairy Ball, headlined by Toyah Willcox.
The Fairy Festival continued all Easter
weekend, and closed with a special Spring
Ceremony, carried out by The Coven of The
Bright Isle.
The next fairy event at the Westgate Hall
is the Goddess Festival in August. For
more information visit
www.magicalfestivals.co.uk. See this
week's Gazette for more pictures.
Club I: New
80's Club Night
27 April, 2011
A
new 80's club night is launching on
03/06/11: Club I is
London's newest monthly Friday night
indie club night, created with love for
music fans who are desperate for an
alternative to London's club scene.
Club I will take place
on the first Friday of every month from
10pm to 4am at Factory (formerly Club
Life) - Vauxhall, London.
Music Policy: Adam &
The Ants, A-ha, Associates, B52's, Bis,
Bjork, Blondie, Blur, David Bowie, Kate
Bush, Client, Culture Club, The Cure,
Curve, Daft Punk, Deadmau5, Dead Or
Alive, Depeche Mode, Elastica, Erasure,
Eurythmics, FGTH, Garbage, Goldfrapp,
Gossip, Grace Jones, Hurts, Imogen Heap,
Human League, Kosheen, Japan, The Knife,
La Roux, Ladytron, Little Boots, Madonna,
MGMT, Morrissey, Mylo, New Order, Gary
Numan, OMD, Pet Shop Boys, The Presets,
Primal Scream, Prince, The Prodigy,
Propaganda, Pulp, Republica, Robyn,
Roisin Murphy, Scissor Sisters, Sex
Pistols, Shiny Toy Guns, Siouxsie &
The Banshees, Skunk Anansie, The Smiths,
Soft Cell, Suede, Tears For Fears,
Temposhark, The Ting Tings, Toyah,
Transvision Vamp, Ultravox, White Lies,
The White Stripes, Yazoo, Yeah Yeah
Yeahs...
• More details about Club I at Facebook.
Check out the ICONS IN
PRINT
photo album for a shot of Toyah too!
(Thanks to Phil Marriot)
Salisbury
Journal: Mayor's Fun Day This
Weekend
27 April, 2011
The
Mayor of Salisbury’s big charity fun
day takes place at Harnham sports and
social club on Saturday.
Singing star Toyah Willcox will open the
event at noon and will be performing live
on stage.
During the day, there will be a display
by the MoD dog team, a battle from the
British Plate Armour Society,
entertainment from local singers Jamie
Eldridge and Cherise Trueman, a beer
tent, a host of stalls and games and
children’s rides.
All the daytime events are free. In the
evening, tribute acts Mercury and
Complete Madness will be performing.
Tickets cost £20 and the doors open at
6.30pm. All the proceeds from the event
will go to the mayor’s charity, the
Stars Appeal’s Caring 4 Kids
Campaign.
Sanctuary
Xposed Radio: Toyah Interview
Special
26 April, 2011
A new audio interview from
'Sanctuary Xposed Radio'. David
Davies caught up with Toyah backstage at
her gig at the HMV Institute, Birmingham
on 16th April, for a special interview
and some classic tracks from her first
three albums.
Toyah talks playing the HMV Institute,
and recalls when it was where she
practised dancing while at school; the
previous two 'From Sheep Farming To
Anthem' gigs in Liverpool and St Albans;
the 30th anniversary of 'Anthem'; and how
she got her first break.
She also talks about influencing other
bands and artists; how word of mouth in
the 80's helped achieve success that is
now gained via the internet; and how the
internet has regenerated her music career
over the last decade.
Interview
Playlist: Neon Womb, Race
Through Space, Ieya (1982), Good Morning
Universe, I Want To Be Free, Blue
Meanings.
Listen in, here,
on the special streaming shows all day
every day from 25th April until 6th May.
Celebrity
Ghost Stories: Bio Promo
25 April, 2011
Screen captures of Toyah
from the promo advert for Celebrity
Ghost Stories, currently running on
Bio. The UK series begins on Thursday
12th May at 9pm.
Hawkinge
Gazette: Toyah Concert Launches
Fairy Festival
24 April, 2011
Pixie
of Punk, Toyah Willcox received a
rapturous reception headlining the Fairy
Ball which launched the Canterbury Fairy
Festival over the Easter weekend.
The Friday night Fairy Ball saw Toyah
delighting the crowds singing her hits
including 'It's a Mystery', 'Rebel Run',
and 'I Want to Be Free'. She was
supported by the popular folk bands
Alquimia and The Gypsy Nomads.
On Saturday visitors and locals were
treated to the sight of dozens of
steam-punk pixies, flower fairies, Morris
Men, Pagan drummers, dragons, giants and
Vikings parading through the streets of
the city.
And for those who followed the colourful
cavalcade, they were guided to a massive
three day Fairy Market at the Westgate
Hall, where they could buy tutus, magic
wands, crystals and other fairy
paraphernalia.
Dreamscape
Audio/Video: A Good Read 1998
24 April, 2011
A very Happy
Easter to
all our visitors... Here's another
addition to the Audio/Video Archive, and
it's something just a little bit gentle
and easy on the ears for an Easter
Sunday.
Toyah guested on
BBC Radio Four's A Good Read
back in March 1998, guest reviewing a
book of her choice, plus two others. This
originally aired on 8th March 1998 and
runs for around 25 minutes. (Thanks to
Seán)
• Catch up on
our other recent audio additions: The
New Recruit, also from BBC Radio
Four (April 1994), and The Annie
Nightingale Show, from BBC Radio One
(January 1984).
Toyah Live
2011: Canterbury Faerie Ball:
Photos
23 April, 2011
A selection of
fantastic photos of Toyah from last
night's PA at the Faerie Ball in
Canterbury. It was a magical evening and
even Toyah's husband, Robert, was in
attendance. The Canterbury City Faerie
Festival began today and continues until
Monday. (Thanks to Brian Marsh
for the photos)
Cruel
Britannia's Toyah Interview:
Final Airing
23 April, 2011
DJ
Cruel Britannia's Toyah interview,
recorded before her gig at The Robin last
year and first broadcast in April 2010,
will have its final anniversary airing
tomorrow night.
Tune into Cruel Britannia's Other
Fadeout on 'Nightbreed Radio' from
8pm. You can listen by logging onto nightbreedradio.com
& hitting the 'Listen Now' button. In
May the entire show will be streamable
from DJ Cruel
Britannia's blog.
Read a full transcript of the interview,
at Minna's 'Toyah Willcox Interview
Archive', here.
Remember The
Eighties: New Toyah Interview
22 April, 2011
'Remember
The Eighties' newest Toyah interview is
now online at their website.
Toyah talks 'From Sheep Farming To
Anthem' and much more in this interesting
feature.
• Read the full interview at the
'Remember The Eighties' website, here.
One point that is raised during this is
that of set lists being revealed online.
I think in this digital age with
websites, blogs, Twitter, Facebook et al,
keeping a set list, post-gig, secret is
impossible.
Canterbury
Faerie Ball: Toyah PA Tonight
22 April, 2011
It's Good Friday! Toyah
plays the Canterbury City Magical Faerie
Ball 2011 tonight. The Faerie Ball is a
prelude to The Magical Faerie Festival
that begins tomorrow and runs until
Holiday Monday. Toyah tweeted
about this yesterday: Just ordered my
wings for my show at the Faerie Ball,
Canterbury tomorrow. There's a 1st time
for everything! I'm dressed as a fairy
queen.
Toyah @
House of Blues, LA
22 April, 2011
Exciting
news - Toyah tweeted on Wednesday that
the Toyah band have been asked to play a
live gig in the US. OMG I've just
been asked to play House Of Blues in LA.
I think this is a Yes! For me and the
band!
House of Blues, Los
Angeles is located on Sunset Blvd, West
Hollywood.
Canterbury
People: Punk Star’s Ball
Will Open Fairy Festival
22 April, 2011
A
festival of fairy fun starts in
Canterbury tomorrow (Friday) when
eighties singer Toyah Willcox weaves her
own brand of magic.
The punk star will perform at the Fairy
Ball at the Westgate Hall, before a
colourful parade from 10am on Saturday
with giants, drummers, fairy dancers
elves and even a Viking.
Organiser Matthew Callow said the event
is intended to celebrate spring, nature
and childhood with four days of music,
magic and myths. There will be stalls in
the hall all weekend and the fun
continues on Easter Monday with
performances and workshops led by
dancers, artists and musicians from
around the world.
Tickets for the festival cost £6 per day
for adults and £3 for children and OAPs,
or £20 for the fairy ball. For more
information visit
www.magicalfestivals.co.uk or call
Matthew Callow on 07845 438340.
FSF-A: HMV
Institute: A Different View
22 April, 2011
A different view of Toyah
onstage at HMV Institute, Birmingham last
Saturday night. (Thanks to Merx for this
great shot of Toyah and the 'From Sheep
Farming To Anthem' audience)
Celebrity
Ghost Stories
22 April, 2011
Toyah
is participating in the new UK version of
Bio's Celebrity
Ghost Stories,
beginning in mid May.
Celebrity Ghost Stories UK explores the
paranormal world through the deeply
personal stories of our favourite stars.
In this new series we have revealing true
stories from: Jeremy Edwards, Anne
Diamond, Yvette Fielding, Toyah Willcox,
Rav Wilding, Pat Sharp, John McCririck,
Nancy Sorrell and many more.
From encounters with ghosts and angry
spirits to real life haunted homes, your
favourite stars describe the thrills and
chills of the unexplained world of the
paranormal.
Celebrity Ghost Stories UK starts on
Thursday 12 May at 9pm.
Toyah on TV
22 April, 2011
The Most Fertile Man
In Ireland : Sky Movies Indie - Monday
25th April : 3.40pm
Satirical comedy starring Kris Marshall
as a fertile young virgin who discovers
he is the only man in Belfast capable of
fathering a child. With Kris Marshall,
Kathy Keira Clarke, Bronagh Gallagher,
James Nesbitt, Kenneth Cranham, Olivia
Nash, Pauline McLynn, Tara Lynne O'Neill,
Toyah Willcox, Harry Towb, Marc O'Shea
and Paddy McCarney. Directed by: Dudi
Appleton (1999).
TOTP2
: Dave - Tuesday 3rd May : 7.35am
TOTP2 : Dave ja vu - Tuesday 3rd May :
8.35am
Steve Wright presents a selection of
archive performances, including hits by
Tina Charles, kd lang, Al Jarreau and
Toyah and Art of Noise, featuring Duane
Eddy. Plus, footage from David Bowie's
1973 `farewell' concert and new music by
soul legend Solomon Burke.
Sing If You Can :
ITV1 - Saturday 7th May : 7.00pm
Sing If You Can : ITV1 +1 - Saturday 7th
May : 8.00pm
Keith Lemon and Stacey Solomon present
the hilarious celebrity singing
competition. Which team will make it
through to play to win money for Teenage
Cancer Trust? Also airing on ITV1 HD.
Toyah Newsy
Bits & Pieces!
22 April, 2011
ITV
Press Centre have now confirmed details
of the edition of Sing If You Can
that Toyah is guesting on.
Sing If You Can - Episode: 4
Saturday, 7 May 2011, 7:00PM - 8:00PM
Entertainment & Comedy
Comedian Keith Lemon and the bang tidy
Stacey Solomon challenge celebrities to
sing as they devise the most outrageous,
frightening and daft ways to put them
off. Tonight, Jedward, Faye Tozer and
Sinitta compete against singer Toyah
Willcox, actor Ben Richards and actress
Sian Reeves.
•
Brum is celebrating its 20th
birthday. View a
report on
this at the 'Cotswold Journal'.
• 'Louder Than War'
include Toyah, circa 'The Blue Meaning',
at their Hair-ess to
the Throne
blog.
Rest in
Peace, Elisabeth Sladen
20 April, 2011
FSF-A: HMV
Institute: Junction10 Photos @
Flickr
20 April, 2011
Junction10
Photography have a set of photos from
Toyah's HMV Institute, Birmingham gig at
their 'Flickr' page.
Click here,
or on the image to the left, to view
these fantastic photos from the third
'From Sheep Farming To Anthem' gig.
(Thanks to Andi)
Midlands
Rocks: Toyah @ HMV Institute:
Review
19 April, 2011
Toyah +
Deadfilmstar + Drag @ HMV Institute,
Birmingham - April 16th, 2011:
Review by J McGowen
Birmingham pop punk sweetheart, Toyah
Willcox returned to her beloved Midlands
to celebrate 30 years since her
breakthrough album, Anthem was released.
The performance promised dark and quirky,
cult classics not often heard live and it
beckoned diehard fans to the HMV
Institute Library venue.
Toyah appeared on stage to rapturous
applause and proceeded into tracks like
Victims of the Riddle and Race through
Space which really exposed her prowess
and range - dipping from operatic to the
whining punk vocal. She pranced about on
stage in skirt with flowing tutu-like
organza material down the back. She
really embodied hypnotic witchy qualities
- Kate Bush meets Stevie Nicks - and
there was no doubt that she retains a
mature sexiness that many of the men (and
women) in the audience appreciated.
• Read the full review at the
'Midlands Rocks' website, here.
• View a selection of great photos
from Saturday's Birmingham gig at
'Contact Music', here.
Dreamscape
Audio/Video: Annie Nightingale
Show 1984
18 April, 2011
Back in 1983 Annie
Nightingale travelled to France to
interview Toyah and Sting for a 45 minute
special for her BBC Radio One show. Toyah
was there filming The Ebony Tower
for ITV and Sting was playing stadiums
with The Police. They talk Quadrophenia,
music, acting, red hair and much more.
Please click below to listen to the full
interview, edited down to remove music.
This originally aired on 7th January 1984
and runs for approximately 30 minutes.
(Thanks to Giddy Gavin)
• Browse all
of our Audio & Video here.
There's dozens of retro Toyah interviews
to entertain you!
YouTubing
with FSF-A @ Birmingham: Elusive
Stranger
18 April, 2011
Lots of cool
footage,
from Saturday night's FSF-A
Birmingham gig, already appearing at
'YouTube', including the wonderful
'Elusive Stranger'. Click below to watch
at 'YouTube' (Thanks to Andy Spike)
Toyah Live
2011: Gigs Updated
18 April, 2011
More
new gigs and PA's have been added to
Toyah's Official
Gigs
page, including confirmation of the
Salisbury Family Fun Day on Saturday 30th
April.
There's also a live PA at Blackpool Pride
on Saturday 11th June, and two new 'From
Sheep Farming To Anthem' dates: The
Brook, Southampton on Thursday 13th
October and Hertford Corn Exchange on
Friday 21st October.
The
official poster/flyer promo image for the
'FSF-A' tour has also been updated. View
that here.
Check out all of our FSF-A
news by clicking below. Collected
together because it makes sense :)
FSF-A: HMV
Institute Birmingham: More Photos
17 April, 2011
More Brumtastic photos from
last night. Toyah looks... atomic!! Check
out all of our 'From Sheep Farming...'
news here.
(Thanks to Greg Fowler for these great
photos - click on each for larger)
FSF-A: HMV
Institute Birmingham: Photos
17 April, 2011
Toyah, looking amazing, last
night at her old dance school (aka HMV
Institute, Birmingham). There's been
excellent feedback for the gig.
Currently, the next FSF-A concert is
Leicester Square Theatre, London on 17th
June. (Thanks to Richard Smith for the
great photos - click each for larger)
FSF-A: HMV
Institute Birmingham: Toyah
Tweets
17 April, 2011
Toyah
has just
tweeted
about last night's gig: Bham HMV was
such a cool show!Audience erupted when we
launched into Elusive Stranger! Queues
around block,even ticket touts had great
night.
Toyah's
Official Facebook
will have photos from the gig soon. The
Official Toyah website will also be
launching a page dedicated to documenting
the 'FSF-A 2011' tour dates.
FSF-A: HMV
Institute Birmingham: Set List
17 April, 2011
Lots
of news
filtering through
about last night's, long awaited and
anticipated, 'From Sheep Farming To
Anthem' gig at Birmingham's HMV
Institute.
The additional new/old song to the set
list, that Toyah tweeted about on Friday
night, was the mighty 'Elusive Stranger'.
Sadly this meant that, the equally
mighty, 'Angel and Me' was removed. There
will probably be some song swapping
through the year so it might be played
again at some gigs?
Toyah tweeted
again yesterday: I've
been thru my 80s costume archive.5hrs!
Found an orig melissa caplan I never
wore.It's weird! I'm thinking leicester
sq theatre in June - Interesting or
what?
Many thanks to Merx for the Birmingham
set list photo.
From Sheep
Farming To Anthem: Live!
Tonight!!
16 April, 2011
'From Sheep Farming To
Anthem' gig number three tonight, at HMV
Institute, Birmingham. Toyah tweeted
last night: Can't
wait to play B'ham HMV. Really rockin'
venue...it's my old dance school! Adding
new(old) song to set, tryin' out new
look. C u there x - Have a great gig
Toyah and fans!
Daily Mail:
My Haven
16 April, 2011
A
new 'Daily Mail' article today on Toyah.
Includes a lovely photo of Toyah and the
super cute Willyfred.
My haven: The kitchen at the
heart of singer Toyah Willcox's
Worcestershire home involves a lot more
than cooking
1 BOOKWORM
Buying rare old theatre books is a
passion of mine. I love reading about
actors and music hall artists
everyone’s forgotten about.
The most expensive one is a thesis on
pantomime and I love it to death because
people always disrespect panto, but it
keeps theatres running.
2 COSTUME DRAMA
Katharine Hepburn gave me this blouse
after we finished filming The Corn Is
Green in 1979. I was 20 but played a
13-year-old. Katharine wore the blouse in
the film – giving costumes away was
her tradition.
She was magnificent: generous, strong and
a great role model.
A
recent (last week) interview with Toyah,
from, North East based, 'Accent'
magazine.
Ever since she burst onto the Punk
scene in the mid-70s, flame-haired Toyah
Willcox has never strayed far from the
celebrity spotlight. Singer, songwriter,
author, actress and TV presenter –
this style chameleon is small in stature
but a huge in personality… and she
always wears her heart on her sleeve.
Accent caught up with Toyah after her
recent trip to Newcastle raising funds
for the NSPCC.
You and Punk were made for each
other. Were you born to be a rebel?
I was never conventional. I feel very
strongly that if you do not conform to
the ideal of beauty that girls are still
supposed to conform to in this day and
age, it doesn’t mean you don’t
have a place in the world.
By this I mean I was always a tomboy who
preferred mud to make-up, so I made my
own sense of place and that was as a
rebel!
What’s your most vivid
memory of Punk?
Punk for me was about acceptance. I know
to the outside world it seemed especially
aggressive towards almost everything, but
I found it remarkable because it broke
down unacceptable boundaries of prejudice
and opened up a more liberal world.
So my most vivid memory of punk is that
it put women of all shapes and sizes in
the media spotlight. A supermodel
wouldn’t have a chance if punk was
still the mainstay today.
Also giving Johnny Rotten acting lessons
to get him through the screen test for
Quadrophenia stands pretty high in my
memories
• Read the full interview at the
'Accent Magazine' website, here.
Official
Toyah: Toyah Twitter
15 April, 2011
Toyah
now has an official twitter feed at www.twitter.com/toyahofficial.
This will feature occasional messages and
updates direct from Toyah in addition to
official news announcements. Head over to
the page to start following and see what
Toyah's first messages have to say....
Remember The
Eighties: New Toyah Interview...
Soon!
15 April, 2011
Keep
an eye on 'Remember The Eighties'. The
site will soon have a new interview with
Toyah. This will be the their fourth. The
previous three, from 1998, 2006 and 2009,
are all still available to read at RTE's
Interviews section.
Official
Toyah: Toyah Brings Special
Concert To Birmingham
15 Apr, 2011
Toyah
plays a special gig this Saturday 16
April at the HMV Institute, Birmingham
which sees her revisiting songs from her
first three albums.
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of her
platinum-selling album Anthem, the
concert includes some songs not heard
live for thirty years alongside the
classics hit singles It's A Mystery and
Thunder In The Mountains.
Concert tickets are available here
and special aftershow party tickets are
now available to buy now
with access to a green room, bar and DJs
before and after the headline concert.
Realm Of
Zhu: The Spirit of Dungeonpunk
'82
15 April, 2011
'Realm
of Zhu' has an interesting look at some
of Toyah's 80's photos/artwork and its
links to fantasy imagery in their recent
blog article The Spirit Of
Dungeonpunk '82.
The punk credentials of Toyah Willcox
aren't really in any dispute, appearing
in Derek Jarmans glorious 1978 occult
time-travel movie Jubilee and releasing
several high energy punk EPs. However, by
the early 80's there's more than a slight
echo of Kate Bush (sorry Toyah), a touch
of Ziggy Stardust, and a glossier pop
production that would bring Toyah
mainstream success and platinum level
record sales, which in turn made a lot of
old punks turn their back on her. What is
most surprising is this transformative
success was accompanied are a pair of
album covers and spin-off media that
blend various influences into a punky
post-apocalyptic swords-and-sorcery epic.
The Wireless
Theatre Company: Jenny Runacre
15 April, 2011
'The
Wireless Theatre Company' published a
great piece by Jenny Runacre, reminiscing
about Jubilee, earlier this
week.
Derek Jarman, Jubilee and Me. By
Jenny Runacre
Last week there was a showing of Jubilee
by Derek Jarman, at the newly launched
Society Film Club, which takes place
every Monday in the basement cinema of
the Sanctum Soho Hotel.
Love Brandish who runs the Club asked me
if I would be willing to go along and do
a question and answer session after the
showing of the film. He told me Adam Ant
would be there too and was going to sing
and play guitar afterwards. So on Monday
off I went to the showing, which turned
out to be a very glamorous event!
After watching ‘Jubilee’, which
I must confess, I hadn’t seen for
some time – the question and answer
session began and of course, it brought
back a flood of memories of filming with
Derek Jarman and the rest of the cast.
• Read the full article at 'The
Wireless Theatre Company' blog, here.
FSF-A: The
Horn, St Albans: Photos
15 April, 2011
A stunning selection of
photos from 'From Sheep Farming To
Anthem' at The Horn on Thursday 7th
April. Please click on each for a larger
version. (Thanks to Andrea Solomon for
these excellent photos - View more photos
from The Horn @ www.acsphotos.co.uk)
YouTubing
with FSF-A @ St Albans: Blue
Meanings
15 April, 2011
'Blue Meanings' from The
Horn, St Albans. (Thanks to Simon Booth
at 'YouTube')
From Sheep
Farming To Anthem: St Albans
15 April, 2011
A great photo of Toyah eight
days ago at the second 'From Sheep
Farming To Anthem' date in St Albans. The
set list that night was the same as The
Cavern gig. Will tomorrow's be the same
also? (Thanks to Andrea Solomon for the
photo - View more from The Horn @ www.acsphotos.co.uk)
• Check out
all of our 'From Sheep Farming To Anthem'
news here.
Toyah on TV
15 April, 2011
The Most Fertile Man
In Ireland : Sky Movies Indie - Sunday
17th April : 9.45am
The Most Fertile Man In Ireland : Sky
Movies Indie - Thursday 21st April :
2.10am
The Most Fertile Man In Ireland : Sky
Movies Indie - Monday 25th April : 3.40pm
Satirical comedy starring Kris Marshall
as a fertile young virgin who discovers
he is the only man in Belfast capable of
fathering a child. With Kris Marshall,
Kathy Keira Clarke, Bronagh Gallagher,
James Nesbitt, Kenneth Cranham, Olivia
Nash, Pauline McLynn, Tara Lynne O'Neill,
Toyah Willcox, Harry Towb, Marc O'Shea
and Paddy McCarney. Directed by: Dudi
Appleton (1999).
• eFestivals.co.uk
are reporting that Toyah will be playing
the Wickham Festival 2011, taking place
Thursday 4th to Sunday 7th August.
• More 'From
Sheep Farming To Anthem' dates will be
announced soon. There's also been mention
of a tour for October.
• Red Square Audio have tweeted: The
Humans will be touring later this year
and the dates will be announced soon.
Toyah Talks
Music: Interview Now Online
7 April, 2011
Our interview with Toyah is
now online. I hope you enjoy it. Thank
you to John Wain, Minna Kelland, and a
big thanks to Stephen Bennett for his
input. Mostly, thank you to Toyah for
taking the time!
•
Unfortunately this is the last update for
the next 10 days or so. Normal service
will, hopefully, resume before the third
'From Sheep Farming To Anthem' gig at
Birmingham HMV Institute.
Official
Toyah: April 2011 Blog
7 April, 2011
Toyah’s April 2011 Blog
has been added to The Official Toyah
website. Click below to go there.
From Sheep
Farming To Anthem: Live!
Tonight!!
7 April, 2011
It's gig number two of the
'From Sheep Farming To Anthem' tour.
Tonight Toyah will rock St Albans.
Toyah Talks
Music: Dreamscape Interview
4 April, 2011
Coming Soon...
Toyah tells us about rediscovering her
early albums for this 30th anniversary
year and the "From Sheep farming To
Anthem" tour. She also kindly
answers a few questions that have been
looming over Toyahland for a number of
years... Joel Bogen? Gigs outside the UK?
Desire?
TOTP: The
Story Of 1976: Screen Caps
4 April, 2011
A few screen caps from
Friday night's Top Of The Pops: The
Story Of 1976. There was even a very
brief clip of Toyah and Noel Edmonds from
Glitter which aired that year.
Click on the caps for larger.
Samantha
& Toyah
4 April, 2011
A
great photo of Toyah and Samantha Fox
taken on Saturday while both were filming
a cookery TV show.
Samantha prepared a starter and Toyah
cooked the main course (pudding person
unknown!) for a programme that will air
in the not too distant future.
The
show sounds similar to Britain's Best
Dish but Toyah has previously
appeared on that so it must be a
different cookery show.
Please click on the photo for a larger
version.
Thanks to Marky Evans for
the photo and info. Visit Marky's
Official Samantha Fox Facebook, here.
ITV Press
Centre: Sing If You Can
4 April, 2011
ITV
Press Centre have today confirmed that
the first edition of Sing If You Can
will air on Saturday 16th April on ITV1
at 7.20pm.
ITV has commissioned RDF Television to
make a brand new entertainment series,
SING IF YOU CAN, in which some of
Britain’s most popular celebrities
will be challenged to perform in extreme
and hilarious circumstances.
Hosted by comedian KEITH LEMON and Queen
of the Jungle STACEY SOLOMON, every
episode will see two celebrity teams
trying to deliver the best performances
of modern hits and classic crowd-pleasers
whilst taking on extraordinary challenges
designed to distract them.
Sing If You Can offers viewers a chance
to see celebrities well and truly out of
their comfort zone. During the series,
singer and actor Ray Quinn will make his
debut as a rapper …whilst some very
unlikely names will take on the might of
Lady GaGa…
• Read the full press release at the
'itv.com' website, here.
A
reminder that DJ Cruel Britannia's 2010
interview with Toyah re-airs tonight at
8pm on 'Nightbreed Radio', exactly a year
after it was first broadcast.
The re-airing will take place on DJ
Cruel's monthly show for 'Nightbreed
Radio' called Cruel Britannia's Other
Fadeout. You can tune in by logging
onto nightbreedradio.com
& hitting the 'Listen Now' button.
The interview will air again each Sunday
through April, and in May the entire show
will be streamable from DJ Cruel
Britannia's blog.
Toyah on TV
Tonight: TOTP: The Story Of 1976
1 April, 2011
A
reminder that Toyah appears on Top Of
The Pops: The Story Of 1976, a new
documentary, airing on BBC Four at 10pm
tonight. The programme is BBC Four's
"top pick" of their schedule
and is part of a special Top Of The
Pops evening.
8.30pm:
Big Hits: TOTP 1964 to 1975
With the Rolling Stones, Tom Jones,
Status Quo, Procol Harum, Stevie Wonder
and the Kinks. 10.00pm: Top Of The Pops: The
Story of 1976
Top of the Pops in 1976, as a barometer
of the state of pop and light
entertainment TV. 10.50pm: Top Of The Pops
(01/04/1976)
With Abba, the Brotherhood of Man, the
Beatles, Fox, John Miles, Diana Ross and
Sailor. 11.20pm: Top Of The Pops: The
True Story
Jamie Theakston presents a history of
Britain's best-loved music show. 12.20am: When The Stranglers Met
Roland Rat
Documentary which goes in search of the
colliding worlds of pop and kids' TV.
Top Of The Pops: The Story Of 1976re-airs
a number of times
over the next week. It will also be
available to watch at BBC iPlayer
after tonight's broadcast.
NB: As mentioned a few months ago, BBC
Four is "bringing back" Top
Of The Pops. From next week, the
digital channel will transmit each
week’s edition from 35 years ago in
the same slot, Thursday night at 7.30pm,
as its original broadcast. There's every
possibility that all the classic early
80's editions will eventually be repeated
in full too.
Toyah
will be opening the Gay Photographers
Network, "More Guys Hanging" at
The Strand Gallery, London, on Monday
20th June 2011. Toyah's Official
Facebook/website will bring you further
details on this nearer the time. The
exhibition will feature the work of
Toyah's official photographer Dean
Stockings.
•
The 'Our Friends Acoustic' show, which
Toyah was playing at, has been cancelled:
Unfortunately due to logistical issues,
Our Friends Acoustic on Thursday May 12th
at The Clapham Grand has been cancelled.
Refunds are available at point of
purchase. Sorry folks, we'll be back with
another 80s extravaganza later in the
year! View further info at 'Little Noise
Sessions', 
A very Happy
Easter to
all our visitors... Here's another
addition to the Audio/Video Archive, and
it's something just a little bit gentle
and easy on the ears for an Easter
Sunday. 
ITV
Press Centre have now confirmed details
of the edition of Sing If You Can
that Toyah is guesting on.
Lots
of 
